TYHL 179

~Chapter 179~

After leaving the archives, Licht and I took a stroll through the palace gardens.
I’d been cooped up inside reading documents for so long that I started to feel dizzy.

All those letters swimming before my eyes—ugh, I’m going to be sick.

But the chilly air worked its magic and I was soon feeling much better.

Off in the distance, I could see noble children who’d come with their parents, each claiming a greenhouse for tea time.
The sight made my eyes go wide.

“Licht, Licht! Do you see that? That’s it! When you talk to the person who makes the macarons, make sure to tell them the filling needs to be that texture and that amount, got it?”

“…So the macarons really were awful.”

“They had potential. I’m serious.”

I was only saying it to help, but for some reason, he pressed his lips together and blushed.

We wandered the quiet gardens, talking about this and that.
Licht was a great listener, always giving thoughtful answers. Conversation with him was just easy.

I was chattering away about how I’d been cast in a play for the graduation festival when I felt him looking at me a little too intently.

“What’s up?”

“Rubian, I’ve been thinking…”
Licht turned to face me, meeting my eyes head-on.

“You look a little tired today. Are you okay?”

“Oh, it shows?”

I rubbed under my eyes.

“I stayed up all night talking with my mom, I think that’s it.”

“Ah… That’s right, the Duchess came home.”
He gave a small laugh.

“What on earth did you two have to talk about for so long?”

“I told her about the confession letters. She got way too excited…”

“…Confessions…?”
His laughter died instantly.

“Did you… get more? Who from this time?”

“They were anonymous, so I’m not sure?”

“…Out of all the people who’ve confessed to you…” He cleared his throat.
“Was there anyone you liked? Even a little?”

“Hmm.”

Now, that was a tricky question.

I remembered the yellow envelope I’d found in my locker a few days ago.
Some confessions were signed, but a lot—like this one—were anonymous.

A few said they wanted to confess before I graduated from the Academy, since my coming-of-age ceremony was soon.

Honestly, I was amazed by their boldness.

I’d actually asked my mom something similar yesterday.

“How do you know if you like someone? Is there a sign? I don’t really get it… How are they all so sure? What do they think they know about me?”

“Well, liking someone…”
Mom ruffled my hair and grinned under the covers.
“Want to know how I realized it?”

“Yes!”

“I wanted to bite your father.”

“…Bite him?”

“Grrr! Like, just chomp! That’s when I realized it was love.”

“…Uh?”

“Grrr!”

“Ahh!”

And just like that, my confusion only deepened…

Love is complicated.

It felt like an unsolvable puzzle.

My head was spinning.

Licht was anxious.

Why… is she thinking for so long?

Had he asked something he shouldn’t have?
Was she taking so long because she was about to come to some kind of epiphany?

He felt himself getting nervous and gently squeezed Rubian’s shoulder.

“Rubian. Hey, don’t think too hard about it.”

Just then, my eyes focused again.

“Oh, sorry. But you’re sweating.”

He really was—beads of sweat had gathered at his hairline.

I shrugged, trying to play it off.

“There wasn’t anyone I liked. I’m grateful, but I turned them all down politely.”

Then I caught his gaze and gave him a big grin.

“I guess I just like my family more. I always will, probably.”

Licht quietly curled his fingers into a fist.

His heart pounded, blood rushing through every vein.

All it takes is a little smile from her…

He couldn’t help but laugh at himself.
This is bad. I’m a hopeless case.

He started walking again, stealing little glances at me as I chattered away.

A royal is supposed to stand tall and keep their composure at all times.

But his body had stopped listening to him ages ago.

She always smells so nice…

Rubian always had this clean, gentle scent—sometimes like a splash of lemon, sometimes like subtle flowers.
Her silver hair was always pulled up high, her face was soft and kind, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

But she really doesn’t look well today.

Her face seemed even paler than usual.
Was it really just one night without sleep?

He was just about to suggest that maybe I should rest today, when—

“Well, well, if it isn’t Licht.”

At the familiar voice, Licht cursed under his breath.

It was the First Prince.

He was supposed to be out hunting this morning.

So there’s a spy in my circle.

Licht made a mental note to find and root out the culprit.

“I heard some giggling, so I came to see what was—”

He stopped in his tracks, eyes falling on Rubian, who’d been hidden behind Licht.

“Oh!”
I peeked out from behind Licht and politely greeted him.

“Hello, Your Highness.”

“Ahem! Yes, Lady Rubian.”

His reply was awkward, and Licht nearly laughed.

After all, Rubian was the one person in the entire palace the First Prince desperately tried to avoid these days.

Though it wasn’t always like that.

When Rubian first started coming to the palace, Licht had worried a lot.
With the First Prince’s slick, snake-like tongue, there was no telling what wounds he might inflict.

But as it turned out, he needn’t have worried.

“You seem close with Licht, Lady Rubian.”

“Of course. We’re friends.”

“Ah… Well, you’re not a child anymore, so you should be a little more selective about your company.”

His tone was all polite mockery, clearly trying to get under her skin.

“If you keep something that’s about to rot too close, the smell will rub off on you, won’t it?”

“Really? I never use things until they rot, though.”

Of course, it didn’t work.

“Wait, do you? Wow, you’re more down-to-earth than I thought, Your Highness. Should I spread the word?”

“…”

The First Prince looked like someone who’d punched a jelly and was now baffled that it offered no resistance.

“Ahem, Lady Rubian, you really are so pure. I suppose Lord Zebert was a little too lenient raising you. Spoiling you just because you’re the youngest…”

Sounds like your own upbringing was a mess.

He tried again.

“Oh… Is it that obvious?”

“Huh? Why are you blushing?”

“I guess it’s obvious… that I was raised well.”

“I mean, I didn’t say ‘well’…”

“Thank you! As you know, I’m adopted, so I really treasure compliments like that. I’ll be sure to tell my father what you said.”

The First Prince stared at Rubian’s bashful toe-tapping, looking thoroughly defeated.

It was the first time he realized that you can only pick a fight if the other person recognizes it as a fight.

After a few more failed attempts, he started going out of his way to avoid her.

Today, though, he’d run right into her.

“Alone with only your attendants… It’s good to be free-spirited, Lady Rubian, but you should mind your decorum.”

“Why? I’m wearing brand-new clothes. I look perfectly presentable.”

“No, I mean—what are you doing out here, just the two of you…?”

“What else would we be doing in the garden but talking and walking? There’s nothing but open sky in all directions.”

“Well, I mean…”

“Do you usually do something else in remote gardens, Your Highness? Is there something we should know?”

Her voice rang out clear and bright. Passersby slowed to stare.

The First Prince does something out here, apparently? What? I don’t know.

Whispers rippled through the crowd.

“What do you do, hide and seek?”

“…”

His face twitched. Licht had to dig his nails into his thigh to stifle a laugh.

In the end, the First Prince left, unable to pick a fight with Licht after being outmaneuvered by Rubian.

In the old days, he would have spent ages trying to get under Licht’s skin.

Ah.

Licht suddenly noticed a small, neat hand clutching his sleeve.

As if to say, Don’t bother. Don’t let him hurt you.

No one had ever stood by him in this palace for no reason at all.
He’d assumed no one ever would.

…But here she is.

He tried to steady his racing heart.

How could I not fall for her?

Those anonymous confession letters Rubian kept receiving—
Licht found himself thinking of the letters he’d sent her when she was in the North.

Agonizing over which stationery to use, writing and rewriting until his handwriting looked its best.

Maybe those were his very first love letters, he realized.

I brushed the dust off my hands as I watched the First Prince slink away.

I may have gone a bit overboard, but seeing Licht’s bright smile made me proud.

No need for the future Crown Prince to get involved.

Besides, I really couldn’t stand the First Prince.

The very first time I met him, it was obvious he wanted to win me over to get to my father—
Like I was just some string he could pull to make the Zebert family dance.

What am I, my family’s weak spot?!

It was honestly insulting.

Luckily, Licht had been meticulously gathering dirt on the First Prince. It’d probably come in handy soon.

Though I seem to remember in the original story, there was some bigger reason for the First Prince’s downfall…

“What was it, again…?”

With so much changed from the original, it seemed pointless to dwell on it—
but if there was something important to remember, I wanted to recall it.

“Rubian?”

I have to do my best too.
I’m not a kid anymore.

Just as I was deep in thought—

“Rubi!”

“Huh?”

Licht called my name in a low voice, snapping me back to reality.

I focused, suddenly aware of his teal eyes and the hand gripping mine.

What was that?

Was my vision a little blurry just now?

“Are you alright? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, maybe I was just thinking too hard.”
Or maybe the First Prince drained my energy.

“You know what? You should go home and rest. I’ll walk you out.”

I shook my head to clear it, but just then—

Drip, drip.

“Uh…”

I felt something warm trickle down from my nose.

Oh, no.

“Rubian!”

I quickly grabbed a handkerchief and pinched my nose, but the red stain spreading across the cloth sent me into a mild panic.

“Your Highness, is something wrong?”

Hearing the commotion, the maids rushed over.

“My lady?!”

“No, it’s fine, I just—”

But then, a familiar hand gently took my shoulder. A large book shielded my face.

“Don’t worry. Just keep your head down.”

That scent of ink and paper—

“Brother?”

When I looked up, Liam stood over me, face pale as a sheet.